Fleeting thoughts captured (June 2015 edition)

These days, Instagram is my over-sharing medium of choice. I used to be a Facebook girl, but now it’s just. too.much. I realize that I like people better when I don’t know their every thought. And you might be having that same thought after reading this post, but neverthless, here I go: My new installment (starting this month, ha!) of observations that are too much for Instagram.

1. Amazon has spoiled me. It’s no secret that I much prefer online shopping to driving from store to store trying to compare and shop for the best deal. It feels like a major crisis in my head when Amazon doesn’t have what I need and I have to order from somewhere else. It seems like a deep injustice to have to pay for shipping AND have to wait a week for an item to arrive. Prime has spoiled me and now I expect quick, free delivery from every online retailer. Amazon continues to change the way everyone does business.

2. Customer service is a dying art. A few weeks ago, we had to buy a new back door…something you can’t buy on Amazon. In shopping around, asking questions about our options, I discovered that many of those home improvement store employees are really good at sounding like they know what they’re talking about, but you’d better do your own research. I did that and ended up having to buy the door from one place and special order the lock from a locally-owned place. And I loved my experience at the local place. Great customer service. And when I picked up the lock, the guy said, “If that doesn’t work, bring it back and I’ll sell you another one just like it.” Funny, too!

3. A YouTube video changed my life. I’ve been growing my hair out. About 5 years ago, I went from this,

to this

in one day. And it’s been a good 5 years, saving money and time by cutting my own hair. But I’m bored and ready for hair again. But growing it out is crazy. I found this video where the creator pinpointed my problem…the ackward stage. She suggested consulting with a barber to continue to shape my hair while only growing out the top. Hadn’t even thought of that. Sent my BFF this picture

after my first style with Maxton’s barber. Said barber also introduced me to this little gadget that twists your hair without actually having to twist it. I don’t know how it works, but it works. Game changer.

4. I am following a friend’s recomnendation to watch Shark Tank and I’m currently obsessed—watching every episode available and checking out Beyond the Tank. Love it.

5. I’ve been freelancing more in the past few months than I have since the twins were born. It’s been good, but hard to adjust. I’ve gone to bed after 4 a.m. more times than I can count. One of the girls keeps asking, Why are you always working, Mommy? My summer seems to be falling by the wayside. But I’m not complaining. And I figured out one of the reasons working is a nice break to my mommy-life is because it actually has an ending. You start a project, you work on the project, you finish the project and (most of the time) you don’t ever have to think about it again—unlike laundry and dishes and cleaning and cooking. None of those things are hard, but they frustrate me ’cause all it takes is a few hours before you have to do them all over again.

6. But on the flip side of that, sometimes these projects feel constant and burdensome too. The last time I worked this much, I didn’t have a smart phone. I didn’t have constant access to email and texting. Now it feels like my mind is even more divided and it *feels* like I’m supposed to handle problems immediately, as I become aware of them, no matter if it’s the weekend or the middle of the night. I know it’s up to me to set boundaries. Or I could change my perspective. I just had to write down what my wise-ish, smart-mouthed friend reminded me, when I was complaining one day:

That’s what work is: people driving you crazy for money.

7. If you watch this documentary, you’ll have no doubt that the NSA has stored every shred of information there is to know about you. It’s just a matter of compiling the information once they need evidence to build a case against you. I couldn’t help but wonder if my husband’s new commitment to Fitbit is aiding and abetting Big Brother, though. He’s handing over information! That thing knows everything, including how many times you woke up last night and for how long.

8. Speaking of Big Brother. A couple of months ago, I Instagrammed something about The New Yorker costing $7+ per issue. The very next day there were ads on Facebook telling me that I could get a 3-month subscription for $12. Spooky, but not really (FB owns Insta and they evesdrop on my conversations in exchange for the free service). So, I bought the subscription.

But oh, man, it’s only adding to my to-read pile. I’m cancelling this week after my bargain-basement introductory 12 issues. I have enough New Yorker reading material ’til Christmas. On a regular basis, I’m highly distracted by interesting but inconsequential (seemingly, anyway) articles and the contant stream of blogs on my feedly. Still, this summer I’m trying to read be disciplined and intentional about my reading by reading a book a week. Some weeks I accomplish it, sometimes I just decide that the book is not worth another ounce of my time and I force myself to move on. Here’s what I’ve read so far:

Writing in the Margins

One-sentence review: I realized that I already write notes, questions, thoughts and prayers all over my Bible, so I skimmed this and moved on. Ask me if you want to borrow this book.

Own Your Life

Two-sentence review: I love everything Sally Clarkson, and think she always has valuable insights to download into my thinking. I highlighted a ton on this one. I can loan you this book on Kindle if you want to read it.

Our of Mormonism

Three-sentence review: Whoa! I had no idea Mormonism was so unbelievable. Fascinating to read this woman’s account of being lured in and being led out via Scripture. Available to loan on Kindle.

After Chapters & Verses

Many-sentence review: The book had many, many good points about how the chapter/verse divisions skew the way we read Scripture: “This is the equivalent of interrupting the last movement of Bach’s First Brandenburg Concerto in the middle, and then, after a pause, playing the rest of this movement and continuing without a break into the first movement of the Second Concerto. It’s artistically absurd.”
But the author also makes some sweeping assertions like: “But so long as we continue this approach…we’re aren’t hearing genuinely from God, and we’re not having a life-changing encounter with God through His word.” I don’t think that God is limited by our chapter/verse divisions.
The second half of the book is a reprinting of a report about how they designed one particular Bible differently (detailed and made me sleepy). Available for borrowing, including all my “talking back” in the margins.

More sharing about what I’m reading, drinking, thinking and buying next week.

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